Fire extinguisher



F. HERMANN FIRE EXTINGUISHBR Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,397 I Filed Sept.;23. 19 26 2 ShOQtS-ShQSi 1 Nov. 8, 1927.

F. HERMANN FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Sept. 23. 1926 2 Sinus-Sheet 2 -r Hi 'Illilliiiii jkz/erai or' W4 71W 13 and air port 12, has a Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

FREDERICK HERMANN, orcnnvnrlnnn, onio,

FIRE nxrrneursnnn.

Application filed September as, 1926. Serial no. 137,304.

vapor generating type.

An object of the invention is to provide fire extinguisher having electric operating means either manually actuated or automatlcally actuated by thermostatic means for generating and releasing fire extinguisln ing vapors, and gases, and alarm sounding or indicating means.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view of the apparatus partly in section and partly diagrammatic. 1

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the fire extinguisher. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the valve. 1 p Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the cylinder cap showing the spark igniting device.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the automatic temperature switch.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the fire extinguisher comprises a solution tank 5 having a bottom 6 and an an11ular formedangle flange 7 disposed within the tank near the .top there'of. The tank closure 8, having a reinforcing ring 9 is removably secured by bolts 10 toflange 7 with a gasket 11 between, providing a relatively high pressure connection. A cover 12, with a. carrying handle seating portion 14 adapted to seat on the mouth of tank 5 and is secured by bolts 15 pivoted on brackets 17 on tank 5, the bolts-engaging into yokes 18 on cover 12 and are secured by wingnuts 16. An L fitting 19 opening into the tank and disposed near the bottom, has an up wardly extending tube 20 braced near the top thereof by a bracket 21. A rubber :hose 22 secured on the end of tube 20 has a nozzle 23 normally closed with a cork 24. The tank closure 8 has an opening 25 therein connecting with a valve 26'se'cured on the closure. The valve 26 has an inlet 29 and a flangedoutlet 27 normallyclosed by a needle valve 28 seating the'rein and extending upwardly through a packi'ng'gland 30 and a' guide bracket 31. A compression spring 32 is provided between guide 31 and a collar 33, on. valve stem 28 normally maintaining thevalve'seated and closed. A lever 34, pivoted as at 35 on bracket 81, is'connected as at 36to stem'"28, th e outer flattened end'37 i of the lever positioned under the base of a stem 39 extending through anf'o'pening in f the cover top and a guide 41, the upper stem end having a thumb button 42. The button 42, when pressed by the operators thumb, J

depresses'lever end 37 raisingv stein'f28 and opening the valve for purposes to be 'hereinaiter described;

A pressure regulating valve 43 connected to the inlet 29, is connected'by a coupling 44 to the valve 45 of a high pressure tank or container 46 charged with liquid CO The tank 46 is detachably secured by straps 47 and wing nuts and bolts 4801i a suitable heat" insulating block 49 fastened on the tank clo sure 8 which maybe suitably heat insulated if desired. The pressure in the container 46 I may be relieved throughsafety valve 43, if the container becomes heated. 1

"A cell holder 50, of perforated sheet metal, is"c"entrallyn1ounted on the tank bottom 6,.

the holder having a perforated bottom 51 I spaced from the tank bottom6. 'The holder top split as at 52 is provided with ears53 having a clamping bolt'and nut 54 for re movably retaining cell 55. 7 Y The cell 55 is filled with a combustible mixture 55 which generates and releases when ignited, fire extinguishing gases. The cell is providedwith 'a liquid, tight bolted cap 56'having afthreaded outlet 57 with acoil 59 connected thereto by coupling 58. The coil outlet is connected toan" outlet fitting 60 on the tank wall. An elbow 61 is connected to fitting 60 with the outsidebranch a combustible mixture turned upward and closed by a Cap 62 w.

ing'a paraffin closedopening 63. V

I Means for electrically ignit ng U mixture either by thermostats or a manually operated switch, comprises a jump spark 'de- 1 viceembodied in a screw threaded neck 64 I otcap 72 in which issecureda porcelain insulated electrode 65 by a nut 66.- The inner cap side carries a tube 67 about electrode 65. the tube 67 having an electrode 68positioned adjacent electrode 65. Atube .69 has ts flanged end connected with'a washer 71 by coupling 72 threaded on neck 64. The;

other end of tube 69 is connected to the tank side wall; A lead wire 78 disposed within the tube 69 isconnected to electrode 65 and anp'lugblock 74 on the outer tank side". The electrode' 68 is grounded to the plug block 7 4,

- nary jump spark coil 78 which surrounds a soft iron core 80 having a primary winding 81 thereon connecting with a condenser 82- connected to a vibrator arm 83 and vibrator contact 84. The vibrator contact 84 and primary coil 81 are connected by wires 85 and 86 respectively to the secondary coil 88 of a transformer 87 having the primary co1l89 thereof connected to theleads 90 and 91 of a suitable electric power source such as house lighting system. Fuses and 86 are connected in'lines 85 and 86.

v The line 85 has one ormore thermostats connected thereto and the thermostats 87 are preferabIy'mOunted on the ceiling of the room in which the tire extinguisher is lo cated, where the atmosphere of the room is warmest. The thermostat 87 comprises an insulating tube 88 of rubber or other suitable material having a socket 89 mounted therein at one end with an extension 90 to which an 1 end of wire 85 is connected by thumb screw 91. A contact plunger '92 slidably mounted in tube 88 has a cone shaped contact head 93 and a shank 94 extending through the central opening of a washer 97 mounted in tube 88. A collar 95 is pinned near the shank end to which the opposite end of wire 85 is connected by set "screw 96. A helical compression spring 99 positioned between the plunger head and Washer 97 is adapted to apress the plunger head cone 98 when re-.

leased, into contacting engagement with socket-89 for closing the circuit in line 85.

The plunger 92 is normally held out of contact against the compressed spring 99 by means of a ring 100 of bismuth alloy or other suitable alloy metal, positioned'between shank collar 95 and washer 97 and retained by a lug 98 on washer 97. The ring 100 will collapse when heated by the surrounding air to a predetermined temperature, allowing the spring 99 to throw the plunger cone 93 into contact with socket contact 89 closing the line circuit. I 1

One or more normally open press button switches 101' are provided on a wire 102 connecting with wire 85 near the secondary 88 of the transformer and wire 85 near contact 84 are located at a convenient point in or outside of the room for manual operation. One or more suitable fire alarms are provided such as electric bell 108 conveniently located and connected by a wire 104to wire 85 near contact 84 and a wire 105 to wire 86. v

The tank 5 is filled with a solution of 75 parts of (NI-19500 to 100 parts of water H O amounting to approximately three gallons the (NI-LEGO containing 35.46% of NH 45.79% of CO ,-18.75% of H 0 and 21% of crystal water of which the 60.25% of NH and CO is the most flicient fire exmanipulation.

tinguishing agent, contained in larger proportions than other fire extinguishing solu tions.

The container 46 of about .8 oz.capacity is charged with liquid CO up to 2000 lbs. pressure approximately.

The cell 55 is filled with a highly combustible powdered mixture comprising approximately 59 parts of potassium nitrate, 36 parts of sulphur 99 .pure, 4 to 5% parts of charcoal and one part of iron oxide iii e 0 the whole weighing approximately six pounds;

When installed the extinguisher maybe conveniently located in a room, sitting on a suitable shelf or support with the plug and socket 75 and 74 connected and the thermoby pressing down with the th'umb of one hand on button 42 depressing lever end 87 and raising and opening needle valve 28,

The extinguisher is started allowing the- CO' 'in container 46 to pass under high pressure through valve 45 and '43, needle valve inlet 29 and outlet 27 through port 25 into tank'5, the expanding CO forcing-the" (NH CO solution out through elbow 19, tube 20, hose 22 and nozzle 23 forcing the cork out. The nozzle 23, which is held in the other hand of the operator, directs the cold solution in a strong relatively far traveling compact jet to the fire. The strength and length of the stream may be varied by the pressure of the thumb on the button 42 opening or' closing the needle valve. The extinguisher maybe discontinued by releasing the button 42 allowmg the spring 82 to close the needlevalve and flow of CO f The freezing point of the '(NH,, CO solution and CO is relatively low, permitting free use without freezing in cold seasons or clini'ates. The fire extinguisher may be operated automatically to extinguish a. fire 1n the room. When the fire heats and raises the temperature of the air in the room mary 89 of the step down transfor1ner87, the stepped down induced current flowing from the secondary winding 88throu gh wire 85, fuse 85, plunger shank 94, head cone 93,

socket 89, wire 85, to jump spark coil contact- 8,4, throughvibrator arm 83 to the primary coil 81 and out through wire 86 and fuse 86 to the transformer secondary coilagain. The current flowing through the shunt circuit of Wires 104 and 105 connected r to wires 85 and 8,6 sounds the alarm bell 103.

The primary winding 81 magnetizes core 80' which disengage'svibrator arm 83 from contact 8 1 breaking the circuit. When the 011'- cuit is broken the spring arm engages con- [tact Skagain closing the circuit and repeating the operation over and over again rapidly. The high tension current impulses induced in the secondary winding 79 from the primary 81 produces a rapid series of jump sparks across electrodes 65 and 68 through Wires 76 and 77 plug and socket 75 and 74 and wires 7 3 and 72 to the secondary 74 the grounded connect-ions of electrode 68.

The gas outlet 106 on the tank above the liquid level, is sealed by aperforated cap 107. bismuth alloy disc 108 and gasket 109.

The jump sparks ignite the highly combustible mixture 55 in cell 55 which burns rapidly, the highly expanding hot vapors and gases therefrom passing through neck 57 coupling 58, coil 59 and out through elbow 61 into the room melting the parafiin seal 63 on the opening of cap 61. The hot cell 55 and coil 59 instantly heats the tank solution the expanding fire extinguishing solution vapors melting bismuth alloy disc 108 and passing through cap 107 into the room. The NH gas generated is lighter than air and penetrates to the upper air strata of the room and the CO as penetrates to the lower air strata. The gases especially the NIL also penetrates laterally into crevices and cracks as well as vertically, reaching and extinguishing all burning spots. The

present fire extinguishing gases employed have a tendency to sink vertically passing without penetrating into crevices 1n the walls of buildings. The steam generated also acts as an efficient fire retarder.

The fire extinguisher may be startedfrom a distant point by closing push button switch 101 closing the electrical circuit in Wire 85, independently ofswitch 87, through Wire 102,

igniting the mixture in cell '55 before de scribed andalso sounding the alarm bell 103. \Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention, obviously various changes in the proportions and details of construction may. be made Without departing claims.

, I claim 1. A fire extinguisher comprising a tank into said cell for igniting the mixture therein.

from the spirit and scopeof the appendedv 2 A fire extinguisher comprising atank provided with a discharge outlet and containing'a solution which will generatefire extinguishing vapors when sufficiently heated, a cell immersed in the solution in said tank containmgc a combustible mixture for producing such heat by its combustion, and electric means external to the tank and communicating with said mixture for igniting the same, said means including an electric sparker in the cell. 7

3'. A fire extinguisher as set forth in 2, said cell being provided with a heating coil receiving the gases produced by the combustionof said mixturepsaid coil being exposed to the solution in said tank.

ALA fire extinguisher as set forth in claim 2, said cell having a pipe connected to the cell and extending thru the solution,

whereby to heat the same by the products of combustion discharged thru the pipe from the cell. V In testimony whereof,.I do affix my signature. I

FREDERICK HERMANN. 

